Today, you collect your picnic lunchbox, and your safari really begins as we start early from your Arusha hotel for our pleasant drive westwards to Lake Manyara National Park exploring the stunning landscape of the park, looking for wildlife on the plains, in the acacia woodlands and by the shores of the shallow alkaline lake. At the end of the afternoon, it's back to your lodge for some relaxation and a delicious dinner.

After our breakfast at the lodge, we collect picnic lunch box and leave Lake Manyara.

With Serengeti as our destination, and with your head full of magical memories of Manyara, we set off to the north and west, a 5-hour journey of around 222km, following the famous Rift Valley. Today’s highlight – certainly for first-time visitors – will simply be the Serengeti terrain itself. The sheer vastness, as the plains roll away in front of you into eternity, will leave you with a sense of awe.

Waking up in the Serengeti is something really special. After breakfast, we start today with the morning section of our game drive in Serengeti National Park, marvelling at the stunning scenery, ever changing light and always entertaining wildlife, all explained to you by your expert driver-guide. After our picnic lunch, we set off again, searching for wildlife in this awe-inspiring park. Serengeti's wonders evolve subtly as the day progresses. At the end of the afternoon, we return to the comfort of the lodge for dinner and some much-needed rest.

Waking up in the Serengeti is something really special. After breakfast, we start today with the morning section of our game drive in Serengeti National Park, marvelling at the stunning scenery, ever changing light and always entertaining wildlife, all explained to you by your expert driver-guide.

After a pleasant picnic lunch, it's time to drive eastwards to visit another spectacular setting for Tanzania's wildlife, the famous Ngorongoro Crater. On arrival, settle in at the lodge while a tasty, hot dinner is prepared for you. Tomorrow, the wonders of the crater await us.

From our accommodation, we set off after breakfast, a 6am departure to reach the rim and then descend into the vast crater itself. Like nothing else on Earth, the stunning crater of Ngorongoro is a unique home for many, many species of Tanzania’s wildlife. With some luck, you may even see a black rhino here. The crater has a population of around 120 lions, with well-defined territories; 15,000 wildebeest, 9,000 zebra, 400 hyenas, and around 50 black rhino.

After our morning game drive in Ngorongoro’s incredible crater, we will enjoy our lunch before we set out southwards for Tarangire National Park, a journey time of 4 ½ hours (200km).

The diverse landscapes of Tarangire, spread across nearly 3,000 km2, and the density and variety of wildlife they contain. And it is the wildlife – not us – which will decide what your highlight will be! Tarangire is also home to buffalo, lion, wildebeest, zebra and gazelle and the park can rival Serengeti for sheer animal densities. What might you see today?

After our morning game drive in Tarangire National Park and then lunch, we will have a 3-hour journey, covering the 175km back to Arusha Airport.